Manufacture of cast-iron alloys.



UNITED STATES PATENT FFICE.

GEORG GRUNAU ER, OF BERLIN, GERMANY.

MANUFACTURE OF CAST-IRON ALLOYS.

SPECIFICATION formingpart of Letters Patent No. 72 dated March Application filed February 6 1901.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, GEORG GRUNAUER, a subject of the Emperor of Germany, residing at Berlin, in the Kingdom of Prussia, Germany, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Processes of Making Cast- Iron, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to processes of producing an alloy of cast-iron and nickel, and has for its object to render the product of greater strength and malleability than the cast-iron obtained by the process now in use.

As is well known, cast-iron possesses only in a comparatively small degree the property of being wrought. Its elasticity is comparatively small, and as compared to wroughtiron cast-iron is very brittle and of less tensile strength. To obviate these disadvantages, this invention consists, essentially, of adding nickel to the melted cast-iron as it leaves the cupola-furnace. An alloy is produced which resembles wrought-iron in its properties much more closely than ordinary cast-iron. The addition may be made in various ways. Thus solid nickel may be placed in the ladle or other receptacle and the liquid cast-iron poured upon it, or nickel and cast-iron, both in a liquid state, may be run together. One-half to forty per cent. of nickel may be mixed with remelted cast-iron as it flows from the cupola-furnace, and an alloy thus obtained readily admits of being worked, suffers much less from oxidation, and takes a higher polish than castiron. The fluidity is also considerably increased by the addition of nickel to the iron. As the addition of nickel greatly improves the quality of the iron, the employment of low-grade pig-iron Serial No. 46,183. (No specimens.)

and scrap is rendered possible. Thus the practical importance of such an alloy is obvious.

If cast-iron is used which is made according to the improved process, the great disadvantages of cast-iron made by means of the old processnamely, brittleness and excessive weight for strength obtained-are eliminated.

As the improved product has greater strength, parts of machinery made therefrom may be reduced in size, thereby not only reducing the cost, but also reducing the weight and bulk of the same.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent 1. The process herein described of producing an alloy of cast-iron and nickel, which consists in melting cast-iron in a suitable furnace, tapping off the metal, and adding nickel to the molten metal after it has left the melting-furnace, substantially as set forth.

2. The process herein described of producing an alloy of cast-iron and nickel, which consists in melting cast-iron in a suitable furnace, tapping off the metal, and adding onehalf to forty per cent. of nickel to the molten metal after it has left the melting-furnace, substantially as set forth.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my invention I have signed my name in presence of two subscribing witnesses.

GEORG GRUNAUER.

Witnesses:

HENRY .HAsPEE, WOLDEMAR HAUPT. 

